Quick change

This morning I was going to celebrate David Ortiz's collapse in the second half, but instead, I'm stunned by the report that George Steinbrenner is dead.

Not saddened, George's relationship with MLB, the Yankees, the media, fans, everything, was up and down, love and hate. He wanted to win above everything, and sometimes his drive outpaced his brains. He built awful, expensive teams, in his absence, the Yankees built a dynasty.

When he returned after his suspension, his money and willingness to spend it, kept talent in place and new faces coming in ... for better of worse. Randy Johnson and Jason Giambi hearkened back to the days of Ed Whitson and Danny Tartabul and Andy Hawkins.

Steinbrenner's absence from the spotlight, he was always in it, and his virtual abdication of his throne to Hank and Hal, put some distance between the sadness most Yankees fans might feel. He's been gone for so long, his death doesn't create a void, it just makes us think about the things he did for the Yankees, the crazy things he said, the manager firings and rehirings, the feud with Yogi Berra and eventual reconciliation.

I guess now the only thing left is to mourn his death and celebrate that lunacy, the Bronx zoo George created, the championships he demanded and and billions he spent to get them.

Thanks George. You weren't the greatest. But you were ours.